Starbucks to open high-end roastery cafe in central Tokyo

Photo taken Feb. 27, 2019, shows Starbucks Reserve Roastery, a high-end outlet of the coffee chain, in Tokyo's Meguro Ward, on Feb. 27, 2019, a day before the store's opening. (Kyodo)

Starbucks Corp. said Wednesday it is opening a four-story, high-end roastery in central Tokyo featuring a bar and lounge, its fifth such outlet in the world.

The Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo opens Thursday in the trendy Nakameguro district. Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, known for designing the Tokyo 2020 National Olympic Stadium, was involved in the project.

The coffee chain giant has already opened roastery cafes in New York, Seattle, Milan and Shanghai.

Menu offerings will include barrel-aged cold brew, made from coffee beans aged in a whiskey barrel, costing 1,200 yen ($10.85) before tax, and a vodka martini with added cacao liqueur priced at 2,000 yen.

Ahead of Thursday's opening, the cafe in Meguro Ward was unveiled to the media to show how customers will be able to enjoy more than 100 rare coffee and tea beverages as well as cocktails and other merchandise.

Starbucks said the new outlet in Tokyo is expected to become the company's first training location in Japan for coffee professionals certified by the Specialty Coffee Association.